Surrey City Centre Redevelopment Plans

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by skymaster

The parking between Surrey Central 1 and future Surrey Central 2 will be filled in with office towers eventually. They will likely move the parking underground kind of like pacific center parking and have entrance ramps on KGB. At least this is what I imagine. Also, the Surrey central rec centre will be demolished once the ice rinks are built at the other location which means another tower could be built between Surrey Central 1 and 3 Civic Plaza/GEC to fill in that gap.

I was more talking about empty gaps in development in places like the area right north of King George Station, with surface visitor parking for the apartments.

Normally urban developments would try to place towers closer together, especially near Skytrain. Right now, Surrey is probably going to turn out more as a suburban town centre, not a second downtown.

[GMasterAres]

Originally Posted by fredinno

I was more talking about empty gaps in development in places like the area right north of King George Station, with surface visitor parking for the apartments.

Normally urban developments would try to place towers closer together, especially near Skytrain. Right now, Surrey is probably going to turn out more as a suburban town centre, not a second downtown.

? Which towers are you taking about? Park place has some pay parking in the plaza by the towers but those are meant for the retail units. Visitors parking is all underground. Several developments in yaletown are similarly configured.

I dont know any recent high rises with surface parking in Surrey Central and the 1 x 1 block around King George Station will in 5 years time sport 13 high rises. That is 1 square block. It already sports 6 with 3 under construction and 1 more going through dvp phases.

Seems pretty darned dense to me given nearly all of the towers ar at least 36 storeys high or more.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by jhausner

? Which towers are you taking about? Park place has some pay parking in the plaza by the towers but those are meant for the retail units. Visitors parking is all underground. Several developments in yaletown are similarly configured.

I dont know any recent high rises with surface parking in Surrey Central and the 1 x 1 block around King George Station will in 5 years time sport 13 high rises. That is 1 square block. It already sports 6 with 3 under construction and 1 more going through dvp phases.

Seems pretty darned dense to me given nearly all of the towers ar at least 36 storeys high or more.

Park place?

[fredinno]

My point is that it's not really planning so much a second downtown as it is another suburban town centre. It's more tower spacing than height.

[Galaxy]

I agree with Freddino! The Surrey downtown setbacks and street grid, as well as the width of road space all, contribute to a more suburban feel compared to say downtown Vancouver and other Major city cores. Narrower roads, towers closer together, and built form that would be right to the curb would all help to create a more urban form.

[Westbased]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

I agree with Freddino! The Surrey downtown setbacks and street grid, as well as the width of road space all, contribute to a more suburban feel compared to say downtown Vancouver and other Major city cores. Narrower roads, towers closer together, and built form that would be right to the curb would all help to create a more urban form.

I think larger sideways and smaller roads, which is what is going on now in the city centre, is much more representative of what a future downtown will look like and should look like.

We need to take back space for the pedestrian. For the past century we've always given the car the ROW and space.

We are incredibly early on in the development of this new downtown core. Anything even close to a full build out will be at least 50 years from now. The spacing between towers will fill out over time.

Once all the large parcels are developed, we'll really begin to see a more tight-knit grid with smaller lots being developed with density.

[EhJay]

Originally Posted by Shift

The long range plans in the Central City 2 leasing brochure show the mall is to be kept but with a major overhaul, including addition of some towers, plazas, and a new entrance facing Holland Park.

That makes it look like they are breaking the mall up into several towers.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by Westbased

I think larger sideways and smaller roads, which is what is going on now in the city centre, is much more representative of what a future downtown will look like and should look like.

We need to take back space for the pedestrian. For the past century we've always given the car the ROW and space.

We are incredibly early on in the development of this new downtown core. Anything even close to a full build out will be at least 50 years from now. The spacing between towers will fill out over time.

Once all the large parcels are developed, we'll really begin to see a more tight-knit grid with smaller lots being developed with density.

I hope...

Originally Posted by EhJay

That makes it look like they are breaking the mall up into several towers.

Nah, those new towers are all on the parking lots. If you look closely, the roof of the mall itself is the same.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Westbased

I think larger sideways and smaller roads, which is what is going on now in the city centre, is much more representative of what a future downtown will look like and should look like.

We need to take back space for the pedestrian. For the past century we've always given the car the ROW and space.

Originally Posted by fredinno

Nah, those new towers are all on the parking lots. If you look closely, the roof of the mall itself is the same.

The towers may end up in the parking lot, but the mall itself seems to be planning on breaking up into a few pieces. It's been talked about on here before.

[WaxItYourself]

Originally Posted by Sheba

The towers may end up in the parking lot, but the mall itself seems to be planning on breaking up into a few pieces. It's been talked about on here before.

The only part I see breaking away from the main mall is where the Brick is currently. After a second look I also see the section where T&T Markets parking lot is breaking away too. They also plan on changing the upper portion of Walmart to provide a better experience for walking around the mall by connecting both ends if the walkways.

[rpvan]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

I agree with Freddino! The Surrey downtown setbacks and street grid, as well as the width of road space all, contribute to a more suburban feel compared to say downtown Vancouver and other Major city cores. Narrower roads, towers closer together, and built form that would be right to the curb would all help to create a more urban form.

I believe a few new roads are in the works in the central downtown area, such as Central Ave and 102A Ave. Should hopefully create a better grid like setup.

[jollyburger]

Just came across this article (never seen this site before). List of a lot of projects underway or in development

http://greatestdevelopments.ca/building/...rises-in-surrey-british-columbia-canada/

[Cypherus]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

Just came across this article (never seen this site before). List of a lot of projects underway or in development

http://greatestdevelopments.ca/building/...rises-in-surrey-british-columbia-canada/

The list of developments are from UrbanSurrey - it's just being reblogged.
See updated list:
https://urbansurrey.com/surrey-city-centre-active-projects/

A well known forum member here maintains that site.

[rpvan]

Originally Posted by Cypherus

The list of developments are from UrbanSurrey - it's just being reblogged.
See updated list:
https://urbansurrey.com/surrey-city-centre-active-projects/

A well known forum member here maintains that site.

From the look of those lists, a lot of buildings have been approved, but no construction as of yet. Hopefully we see a lot construction begin later this spring and into summer.

[Nites]

Damn that blogger quoted Shift as if he were our mayor or something lol. Good job Shift.

[rpvan]

Originally Posted by Sheba

The towers may end up in the parking lot, but the mall itself seems to be planning on breaking up into a few pieces. It's been talked about on here before.

I believe the Surrey Downtown Plans called for towers or continuous storefronts lining King George in place of the mall parking lot.

Not too sure about whether the mall will be breaking up; however, if we're looking across the region for examples, then it most certainly will at some point in the near future.

[fredinno]

Originally Posted by rpvan

I believe the Surrey Downtown Plans called for towers or continuous storefronts lining King George in place of the mall parking lot.

Not too sure about whether the mall will be breaking up; however, if we're looking across the region for examples, then it most certainly will at some point in the near future.

Most of the malls are not being broken up. The only ones where that was proposed was Metrotown ( ) and Landsome. Brentwood, Brighouse, Oakridge, Lougheed and Coquitlam are all keeping at least part of the mall around. Lougheed keeping the least, things like Brentwood and Brighouse building exclusively on the parking lot.

[rpvan]

New article regarding development for the coming year.
https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/big-year-for-construction-in-surreys-city-centre-mayor/


Interesting quote by McCallum near the end:

Asked if the cancellation of LRT has affected any developments in the City Centre, McCallum said the city hasn’t “seen any of that.”

“Since we’re going to build SkyTrain along Fraser Highway, it’s encouraged developers to bring their high-rise development forward in our city centre. We’re actually seeing the opposite of that.”

McCallum said the city is also starting to see more development proposals come up along the King George corridor between City Centre and Newton.

[Blease]

Originally Posted by rpvan

New article regarding development for the coming year.
https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/big-year-for-construction-in-surreys-city-centre-mayor/


Interesting quote by McCallum near the end:

I saw that article as well, encouraging words from the mayor, for a change.

[Shift]

Originally Posted by rpvan

New article regarding development for the coming year.
https://www.surreynowleader.com/news/big-year-for-construction-in-surreys-city-centre-mayor/

Again, the Mayor isn't very well informed.

"Currently, McCallum said, the city has about 16 high-rise projects that are “in different phases in our planning process.”

The number is actually 47 in process / construction

https://urbansurrey.com/surrey-city-centre-active-projects/

"Since we’re going to build SkyTrain along Fraser Highway, it’s encouraged developers to bring their high-rise development forward in our city centre."

This comment has no basis. Almost all the current 47 high-rises in process were initiated prior to the loss of LRT. Applications will come in regardless though.